


Let Us Not Compromise

by melonbutterfly



Series: Only Vaguely Similar [3]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, The Sentinel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Asexuality, Community: kink_bingo, M/M, Possessive Behavior, Sentinel/Guide, Sentinel/Guide Bonding, sentinel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-14
Updated: 2011-05-14
Packaged: 2017-10-19 09:37:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/199445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melonbutterfly/pseuds/melonbutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John and Rodney are by far not the only asexual Sentinel/Guide pair, but sometimes people act like they are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let Us Not Compromise

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by the following quote by Bradford Cox: "You need this relationship but if there's no sex involved, people act like it's not a legitimate relationship."

"...and Kavanaugh finally gave me a reason to boot his ass off the city, right on time too," Rodney says happily, putting his tray on the table and sitting down on the bench next to John.

John barely hums to indicate that he has heard; the minute Rodney has settled down, he plasters himself to his Guide's side and tucks his face into his neck, inhaling deeply. Rodney angles his body to give John better access, wraps his right arm around his Sentinel's shoulder and then starts to eat with his left hand, continuing to talk about his day. He blithely ignores how John doesn't even deign to hum a reply anymore; he knows that, even if John isn't listening, the sound of his voice is important to his unsettled Sentinel. In theory they didn't have a hard day, but today the Daedalus arrived with a load of new personnel, and the invasion of so many new people in his territory always disquiets John.

"Hello Rodney, Colonel," Radek says, approaching their table. "May I sit with you?"

Rodney waits until John gives a miniscule nod into his neck before waving his arm in an invitation. "Sure, sit down."

"It is opportunity for celebration, yes?", Radek offers after having done so.

It earns him a snicker from Rodney and a snuffle from John – not that he'd notice the latter, seeing how John's face is still hidden from everyone. "This is the third best day of my life!", Rodney gloats, rubbing his hand up and down John's back while John curls his fingers in Rodney's t-shirt under his jacket.

"What were the first two?", Radek asks curiously, only to grimace as he apparently figures it out himself.

"Finding out aliens were real – or rather, the physics connected to that – and finding John, not necessarily in that order," Rodney explains nevertheless. "What?", he snaps suddenly, turning to John's side and glaring over his head at a new scientist sitting one table over. The guy – not even an anthropologist, who at least have some kind of excuse, not that either Rodney or John are any more forgiving with them – has been staring at them blatantly since the moment Rodney sat down.

The scientist flinches and flushes, glances at the other guys sitting at the table with him, but they aren't much of a help. "Well, uh," he says, then gulps and straightens. "I just thought you, uh," he flaps his hand helplessly, "don't... well. Have sex."

At any other time, Rodney would have a sarcastic dismissal for the guy because this isn't by far the first time since someone spoke so unabashedly about their sex life, but he isn't feeling particularly forgiving right now; John's being stressed out affects him too. Besides, he has never been all that patient, and that they're asexual isn't exactly breaking news. Or anybody's business but their own.

"Does it look like we're having sex?", he says scathingly. He's starting to gather attention, but he doesn't give a fuck. "And even if we fucking were, it would be none of your fucking business." Before he can say anything else, John pulls away from him; his face is completely blank when he turns to glance at the scientist, but the guy still flinches. John doesn't pay him any more attention, though – he just stands and pulls Rodney up with him, takes his hand and pulls him out of the mess. Rodney doesn't protest, even though he hasn't finished his meal yet. Instead, he just keeps glaring at the guy with narrowed eyes until John pulls him out of eye contact.

Rodney doesn't ask as John continues to pull him through the halls; he just squeezes John's hand and follows obediently. He can't read John's mind – that's a myth; he can't do that any more than a human who isn't also a Guide can – but he and John have been bounded for almost three years, and he likes to think that he knows him well enough by now.

Once they arrive at their quarters, John pushes Rodney inside unceremoniously; the first sign of his impatience. Rodney stays pliant, immediately obeys when John tells him curtly to undress and then lets himself be herded into the shower. John cleans him up quickly and then gives him a couple of minutes to just stand under the hot water; Rodney loves that, letting the spray relax his tired muscles. Once John himself is all soaped up as well, he presses himself close to Rodney, sharing the water. Almost instinctively, Rodney wraps his arms around his mate's slick body and then pulls his head down to his neck; he knows that with all the water John can't smell him really well, but it's the ritual and symbolism that matters.

The next moment, he feels himself slammed into the wall; it doesn't hurt and thankfully the Ancient showers aren't slippery, but Rodney is still startled and grapples for purchase, finding it on John's shoulders as John latches on to his neck, biting tightly. Very deliberately, the Sentinel sucks a dark red mark into Rodney's neck; Rodney moans at the sensation and wraps one leg around John's hip, tilting his head back to encourage him, give him room.

John sucks until Rodney's neck aches, making appreciative noises and rubbing their wet bodies together while Rodney hums happily, tangling his fingers in wet John's hair and rubbing his hand up and down his back. When John has calmed down a little, he gently prods them out of the shower, into the Ancient drier – this is something John loves, the warm air infused with odorless chemicals that evaporate the water off their skin and out of their hair quickly. As usual in the drier – a cabin much like the shower – John spreads his arms and tilts his head back, eyes closed; Rodney rubs his hand through his hair so it dries quicker. With slitted eyes, John watches as Rodney then does the same with his own hair, sliding his hands up and down his wet skin until he's completely dry.

Afterwards, John directs him into bed; Rodney slides between the sheets that smell only of them and the material they're made off, according to John. John doesn't join him; he calmly walks over to their field packs in the corner and gets a MRE, prepares the meal for Rodney. Rodney stays silent on the bed, lying on his belly and supporting his head on his folded arms, just watching. The mark on his neck throbs with every beat of his heart, and he knows he'll keep it for at least one and a half week; going with the tense set of his Sentinel's shoulders, Rodney suspects it won't be the only mark he'll get this evening. The thought fills him with pleasure.

Once the MRE is ready, John carries it over to Rodney, carefully arranging the blanket around his shoulders to keep him warm and folding a towel under the food to catch any crumbles. Rodney endures his fussing with unusual grace, still not saying a word; John feeds him the first couple of forks full, but then lets Rodney eat for himself, hopping onto the bed and straddling Rodney's thighs, curling up protectively over him, rubbing his face between Rodney's shoulder blades. Every now and then, Rodney offers him a fork and makes a noise so John lifts his head and eats it; knowing him, he barely ate anything in the mess with all the new people around, stressing him. He won't eat much now either; Rodney had to learn to accept that if he doesn't want to, it's very hard to get John to eat. The only reason Rodney manages at all to get him to eat at least a little is because he's his Guide and thus entitled to a little fussing himself, he knows that very well.

When Rodney has eaten everything – except for the pack of coffee, John wouldn't let him – John pushes the MRE and towel off the bed with a careless sweep of his arm and then rolls Rodney onto his back, sealing their lips together and sucking his tongue into his mouth. Rodney moans happily and wraps his arms around John's neck, spreading his legs so his Sentinel can settle more comfortably between them. They kiss for a while, and Rodney practically feels John unwind, enjoys the happy moans John emits while licking into his mouth and tangling their tongues. Finally, John slumps with a happy noise, pressing his nose to Rodney's neck again.

Rodney happily tilts his head back, tangling his fingers in John's hair and cupping his nice little ass, squeezing to encourage him. "Mark me," he asks breathlessly; John groans and latches on, using his teeth and sucking hard to raise the blood to the skin above Rodney's collarbone. "Love this," Rodney gasps, "love you."

John groans again and, after a last nip, pulls away to press kisses up Rodney's neck until he arrives back at Rodney's lips, engaging him in another kiss. He doesn't say it back; he rarely does, but Rodney doesn't need him to anyway. It's in everything John does for him and the mere fact that it's _John_ – with anybody else, he would feel patronized, but not with John. And that's not because it's something John needs and Rodney likes to indulge him, but because Rodney quite honestly enjoys being fussed over. Besides, it's not like John views him as his pet, as some people tend to assume; he isn't just valued as a Guide but also as a person. John honors his opinion in a way he honors few other people's; sometimes, when he has made up his mind he won't listen to anyone else. And even if they fight sometimes and bicker near constantly – as every other normal couple – they're still best friends on top of being Sentinel and Guide and team mates. And, most importantly, they're happy the way they are, and their bond is perfectly fine without sex. Neither Rodney nor John have ever felt particularly inclined to have sex, and they won't let anybody guilt them into starting now just because lore says that sexual bonds make for stronger Sentinels.

Soon, too soon for Rodney's taste, John pulls away from him again, breathing heavily and pushing himself up. "Turn around," he orders in a whisper. Immediately knowing what his Sentinel wants now, Rodney obeys, keeping his arms at his side and turning his head only a little so as not to distort the tattoo in his neck. It's his QR code, his permanent mark as a bonded Guide – as John's bonded Guide. They're a modern way to permanently mark a Guide, one that isn't tainted by a long history of slavery like branding, permanent collars or shackles or ordinary tattoos; free of any and all implications of actual ownership, because ever since the Equality Act of '89 a Guide hasn't been required to wear a mark, and QR code was invented five years later.

Rodney had wanted a mark, though, and while John would've dealt with it if he hadn't, he needed it; that visible sign of ownership that nobody could remove, unlike the charms they both wore around their necks and that could be taken away. It's at an area where Rodney would die if anyone tried to remove or distort it. And never once had Rodney doubted his decision, especially not since it gave him a thrill of excitement himself every time he saw John's code, and he was less possessive than John was. He could only imagine what John felt, and it made him happy that he could satisfy such a primal urge of John's with something so simple.

Just as Rodney suspected, John immediately presses his lips to the code; it's way too tiny for him to kiss every square. But not for lack of trying: John makes a point of at least kissing the position elements at the three corners, then licking broadly across the whole tattoo. "You're mine," he says, matter-of-factly.

"I'm yours," Rodney agrees, then sighs when the lights suddenly dim around them, undoubtedly following John's silent command.

After they have arranged themselves to sleep – both on their sides, John spooning Rodney – John kisses the code again, then slides his hand up Rodney's chest, grazing chest hair and one nipple before pressing his fingers to the two marks he had put on Rodney; one of which would be visible even above the collar of their uniform, unless Rodney tried to hide it. Which he wouldn't, he never did.

 

 

 **Rodney's QR code:**

 **John's QR code:**

If you want to know what the codes say, check the image location. :)

The quote is from this poem:

 _Love is impertinent.  
It encroaches the mind  
without invitation,  
makes itself at home  
like a familiar neighbour,  
lives on your generosity  
of thought,  
in time, like a squatter,  
takes permanent residence  
and is impossible to remove.  
It cannot be resolved  
by mental action, as  
possession is complete  
ownership._

Sally Plumb


End file.
